Celtics

Rivers, Celtics Hoping For Ray Allen Return On Friday

BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 29: Ray Allen #20 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Omri Casspi #36 of the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 29, 2012 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

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BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Celtics are hoping to get Ray Allen back Friday night when they play the Timberwolves in Minnesota.

Allen, who has missed the last four games with an injured left ankle, went through the motions Wednesday, participating in the morning shoot around and was even on the court prior to Boston’s 94-82 win over the Jazz, but was unable to go when game time rolled around.

“He went through shoot-around and just didn’t feel right,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “We’re hoping for Friday.”

The 36-year-old Allen has missed eight games this season, with the Celtics going 7-1 in those contests. But his recent four-game absence is the longest stretch of his Celtics career, and reports say Allen will likely require surgery on his ankle in the offseason.

But his head coach is not worried about his hall-of-fame shooting guard’s current ailment.

“We’ve had a lot of (injuries) this year. He’ll be fine, I think,” said Rivers. “We just hope it doesn’t become one of those things that lingers where he plays a couple of games, and then have to sit out a couple. But I don’t see that happening.”

In 41 games this season, Allen has averaged 14.6 points for Boston while shooting 46-percent from the field and a career-high 46-percent from the three-point range.

Avery Bradley has gotten the start the last three games for the injured Allen, averaging 14.3 points in just over forty minutes of play.

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